One of my major concerns about "The Web of Life" was that teachers have
access to the major images used on the site. Look under "Resources" to find
sources - "Starry Crown" is available as a print from the Dallas Museum of
Art, "The Upper Room" is available from Crystal Productions
(1-800-255-8629) as one of the five images in the African American Art MAPS
set, and other Biggers' prints are available from "Artcetera." All of
these are included under "Resources."

> Nancy,> > I've been enjoying the John Biggers site, and would love to do some> activities with my students! However, I've been looking for information> about reproductions of his work and as yet haven't found any. Where can I> get large color reproductions of Starry Crown and Shotgun?> > Thanks,> > Mark> > > At 3:39 AM 11/11/97, Nancy Walkup wrote:> >ArtsEdNetters:> >> >I would like to invite you all to visit ArtsEdNet's newest> >online exhibition and discussion, "The Web of Life: The Art of> >John Biggers."> >> >This program focuses on the life and work of the African> >American artist and art educator John Biggers. It contains> >background materials about the artist, curriculum resources,> >activities for both elementary and secondary students, a> >conversation with the artist, galleries of his work, a list of> >resources, and an opportunity to talk with the artist via> >e-mail.> >> >Dr.. Biggers is widely known for his complex, symbolic murals> >based on African and African American cultural themes.> >Throughout his long career, he continued to work as an artist> >while serving as the founder and head of the art department at> >Texas Southern University in Houston. Biggers, who studied under> >famed art educator Viktor Lowenfeld at Pennsylvania State> >University, recently was honored by major retrospective on> >his work that traveled to seven art museums around the United> >States.> >> >You might want to start with the artist biography, especially if> >you are not familiar with the artist and his work. He was born in> >a shotgun house and grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina. He> >entered Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) intending to> >become a plumber. Fortunately for us, a class taught by Viktor> >Lowenfeld, one of the most important figures in the history of art> >education, changed his life. A contemporary of artists more> >associated with the art world in New York (such as Jacob> >Lawrence, Romare Bearden, and Elizabeth Catlett), Biggers chose> >to stay in the south and pursue images drawn from his own> >beliefs and life experiences.> >> >In Biggers' words,> >"I'm the guy who didn't go to New York. My only obsession has> >been and still is to try to portray the meaning of African> >American life in the South...I'm interested in the spiritual> >aspiration of Black people; how their spirit soars above the> >mundane and the materials and all their problems...It's been a> >study of the meaning of vegetation, the landscape, the weather,> >the color of the South, the color of the people..the meaning of> >religion, the whole cultural pattern."> >> >The web address for "The Web of Life: The Art of John Biggers"> >is> >http://www.artsednet.getty.edu/education/teacherartexchange/resources/Biggers/index.html> >> >Nancy> >> >> >> >Nancy Walkup, Project Coordinator> >North Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts> >PO Box 305100, University of North Texas> >Denton, TX 76203> >walkup> >940/565-3986 FAX 940/565-4867> > >
Nancy Walkup, Project Coordinator
North Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts
PO Box 305100, University of North Texas
Denton, TX 76203walkup
940/565-3986 FAX 940/565-4867